The present invention relates to child care devices, and, more particularly, to blankets or pillows for children.
It is well known that oftentimes a young child will become attached to a small, personal object as a means of coping with stress. Such a xe2x80x9csecurityxe2x80x9d item, which will typically be in the form of a favorite doll or a blanket, can actually provide substantial psychological and physiological benefits, especially when the child is out of the presence of a parent. For example, studies have found that if a child undergoes medical treatment without parents present, the child will be much calmer and more cooperative, and will actually have a reduced heart rate and blood pressure level, if the child has a security blanket or other item in his or her possession during the exam or treatment.
Typically, the chosen security blanket or item will be something with which the child is familiar and uses or plays with every day. Frequently, it will be a crib blanket or baby blanket also used for bedding during nap time or during the night. Although such blankets are functional, both as bedding and as security objects, they are typically disadvantageous for several reasons. The first of these is that the security blankets might not be conveniently portable. Because of the child""s affection for the security blanket, it is usually taken along with the child wherever he or she goes. If the particular security blanket is relatively large, this may pose a problem for parents and the child, and the blanket may be dragged along the ground (thus getting dirty), or it may knock things over in stores. Another drawback to traditional blankets is that they may be less than ideally sturdy or appropriate for frequent use. For example, even if a hand-knit baby blanket given as a gift from a grandparent is occasionally used as bedding, parents may want to ensure it survives as a keepsake and is not xe2x80x9cloved to deathxe2x80x9d as a security blanket.
Additionally, traditional blankets offer no other benefits besides being usable as blankets and as security items. Thus, in many situations (eg., if a child has to wait for a parent to do something or is traveling in a car), toys or other distractions may need to be given to the child in addition to ensuring the child has his or her security blanket. This may not always be convenient or possible. Finally, traditional blankets do not provide much, if any, sensory stimulation (either active or passive) for furthering a child""s development.
More specifically, most blankets that are available today typically consist of one sheet of plain colored fabric, which at most may have a satin border around the perimeter of the blanket. Likewise, pillows that are available to children are either typical, plain sleeping pillows, or they have characters (cartoon/film characters) thereon which also do not provide any soothing activity at rest time.
Of course, a multitude of products are available for providing developmental stimulation for babies and young children. These include mobiles, wall hangings, toys, and stuffed animals. An example of the latter is a currently available product called a Taggly(trademark), which is a stuffed animal which has multiple tabs attached to its head. The tabs on this toy crinkle, squeak, and have a velvet feel, but the Taggly(trademark) is a toy, not a blanket or pillow, and cannot be used as such. Plus, it is typically not the type of object that is most frequently chosen by children as a security object.
Several blankets have been proposed over the years for providing various types of stimulation for young children. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 4,989,285 to Troncone et al. discloses a dual-layer blanket comprising two sheets of different fabrics connected only about their common peripheries, so that the interior areas of the sheets can slide over one another. This sliding effect, with appropriately chosen fabrics, simulates the tactile response of the amnion lining and amniotic fluid experienced by a fetus in utero. Additionally, U.S. Pat. No. 5,167,565 to Metcalf (xe2x80x9cMetcalfxe2x80x9d) relates to a standard blanket that is provided with a plurality of xe2x80x9cattractors,xe2x80x9d which are differently-patterned patches sewn onto the center area of the blanket. The attractors are attached to the blanket only via no more than two edges, so that they can be slightly lifted off the surface of the blanket. Although the attractors may provide some degree of stimulation via their different patterns, the design in Metcalf is disadvantageous in that the attractors cannot be very securely sewn onto the body of the blanket, making the blanket less than ideal for use with small children. More specifically, it is generally difficult to provide a secure stitching connection to the center of a fabric sheet, and it is nearly impossible to do so without leaving the stitching partially exposed. Furthermore, having a number of patches all over the surface of the blanket renders it less comfortable for use as a blanket.
Other blankets on the market contain actual toys or stuffed animals affixed to the blanket, which makes the blanket bulky and therefore not very xe2x80x9csnugglyxe2x80x9d or compact. One such blanket is shown in U.S. Pat. No. 5,208,934 to Bachnick et al. Another, commonly available security blanket, is called a Lovie(trademark). This product is a stuffed animal head which has a plain blanket with a satin bottom edge attached to it. The animal head can act as a toy, but has no other developmental, stimulation or interaction features. As such, its appeal and usefulness are limited.
Accordingly, it is a primary object of the present invention to provide an interactive security blanket or pillow that is easily portable, that is sturdy, that still serves as a functional blanket or pillow, and that includes advantageously xe2x80x9clow-techxe2x80x9d features with which a child can interact so as to receive sensory and developmental stimulation.
The present invention discloses security blankets that provide a comforting, stimulating experience for young children. Each security blanket preferably comprises two sheets of 100% polyester fleece sewn together to provide a blanket body that is machine washable. The front piece of fleece preferably has a colorful children""s pattern or design, while the back is a complimentary solid color. Additionally, a plurality of spaced-apart ribbon loops, or xe2x80x9ctags,xe2x80x9d are attached to the four edges of the blanket body, and extend xe2x80x9cradiallyxe2x80x9d out therefrom. The ribbon loops are provided in a variety of colors, patterns, and textures, e.g., they may be wide, thin, silky, textured, bright-colored, pastel, shiny, solid, and/or provided with fabric prints suitable for children. The ribbon is looped from and back into the seam between the pieces of fleece, and are firmly attached at that seam. The present invention may also be embodied in a pillow by inserting a standard pillow or cushion between two appropriately dimensioned fleece sheets.
The present invention provides children with a soft, warm security blanket, wherein the opposing portions of the tags can be rubbed together for comfort, much as the satin edge of a typical blanket might be rubbed for comfort. This provides the child with a sense of comfort and relaxation so as to sooth or calm the child. At the same time, the tags are colorful and enticing to children of all ages. The attractiveness of the individual ribbons encourages young children to reach into their environment. This develops basic skills in a manner that builds self-confidence while also providing entertainment for the child.
The tags, besides being visually and texturally enticing, also provide a series of mini-handles for children to grab and play with. In this sense, besides providing further entertainment and stimulation, the tags also help children in developing motor skills and coordination, especially in newborns and infants. For example, babies and children practice very complex fine motor skills, typically with much energy and excitement, when they attempt to touch and feel the tags, for example by trying (and succeeding) to place the soft fabric of the tags between their fingers, or by trying to put their finger through the tag loops. Furthermore, infants and newborns who can not yet grasp the blanket will try to reach for it and will intently study the individual patterns on the various tags when the blanket is xe2x80x9cproppedxe2x80x9d up for them. This helps to develop eye/hand coordination in the young or developmentally delayed. Babies often select a xe2x80x9cfavoritexe2x80x9d tag, which is often the busiest of patterns, because it is visually stimulating. Also, children may obtain developmental stimulation from hearing the sounds produced when the ribbon loops are rubbed together.
The unique design and concept of the interactive blanket of the present invention is extremely attractive to young children because it incorporates a tactile and stimulating activity into a soothing, comforting object. Babies and children are drawn to clothing labels and satin ribbons on stuffed animals because they enjoy the feel of rubbing the labels or ribbons together, and therefore find the generous offering of several assorted ribbon loops of different textures, prints and colors in the interactive blanket or pillow to be interesting and fun. At the same time, the soft fleece blanket body that holds their favorite tags is warm, cuddly and snuggly. The combination of these factors and the ability of the child to tote the blanket around (as opposed to other blankets, which are typically larger) makes the interactive blanket or pillow an ideal child companion. Additionally, children enjoy using the blanket for multiple purposes and for rest time and for play. For example, children may use the interactive blanket of the present invention as an imaginary blanket for a doll.
The interactive blankets of the present invention are also very attractive to adults purchasing the blankets for children, for several reasons. First, the interactive blankets are preferably constructed so as to be safe for young children, thereby making excellent security items that can be used in a safe and conventional manner as blankets and that are easily transported (children with security blankets or other security items often wish to bring their items with them to new environments such as school, the doctor""s office, or a new babysitter""s house). In addition, adults also find the interactive blanket and pillow design, and the assorted patterns that are available, to be inviting and fun. Furthermore, and perhaps most importantly, the blankets are intended to promote both visual and fine motor skills in children, as discussed above, even while keeping things simple for young children, who are often bombarded with items that provide an excess of activities.